NASW News

Grassroots advocacy often begins with a single individual who is passionate about a cause and feels compelled to act. These advocates, in turn, rally supporters, then contact legislators and other government officials at either the local, state or federal level to raise awareness regarding their cause. Grassroots advocacy is one of the most common forms of lobbying in the U.S. — and one of the most effective. In doing this work, individuals can have as much — or even more — of an influence on changing public policy, regulations and public perception as professional lobbyists. Social workers considering starting a grass...

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Intensity, commitment, clarity and confidence are words that readily come to mind as I reflect on this year’s Annual Leadership Meeting and the most recent meeting of the national board of directors. These two gatherings are critical components of the association and complement each other in purpose and structure. While I have attended numerous NASW Annual Leadership and board meetings over the past 20-plus years, this year’s events will forever stand out in my mind and heart for two important reasons. First, and maybe the most obvious, is that I never have been — or will again have the opportunity to be — the pres...

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NASW is urging support of National Healthcare Decisions Day, on April 16. NASW, which has supported NHDD since its inception, joins hundreds of organizations, health care providers and other key stakeholders in promoting advance care planning. The NHDD website features tools and resources to get involved in the campaign as well as advance directive information, links to state forms, and suggestions for initiating advance care planning discussions with loved ones. Download a related NASW practice perspective, Reexamining Advance Care Planning (PDF). NASW is promoting NHDD through its chapters, MemberLink, SectionLink, blogs, Facebook and ...

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NASW launched a Twitter chat series in April to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2015 and introduce some of the leading minds in social work who are members of the association. Twitter chats are conversations Twitter users can have by following a unique hashtag (#). NASW has about 27,000 followers on Twitter, so the chats are a good way to reach NASW members as well as the wider social work community. The first Twitter chat was held April 6 with forensic social worker Kathryn Dixon and used the hashtag #forensicSW. Forensic social workers are those who work in the legal system. Dixon is founder and executive director of Interstate FACTS...

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MSW students from: Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, Virginia Commonwealth University (photo below), the University of Alabama (photo right), the University of Southern California, and Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, visited the NASW national office in March as part of Social Work Month. Students had a chance to meet with NASW staff while learning about the organization and the benefits of student membership.

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Virtual career fair, SmartBrief e-newsletter are two of association’s newest offerings NASW members will have access to more job opportunities and resources to help them in their careers, thanks to a SmartBrief e-newsletter distribution and a virtual career fair, where social workers can talk to potential employers, find out about open positions and submit their resumes for immediate consideration. NASW is working with SmartBrief — an online publisher of targeted business news and information, by industry — to send a free daily e-newsletter to members via email. Members will receive an email notification this month with ...

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A competent, respected and well-supervised child welfare workforce can impact outcomes in child welfare service delivery. This was among the suggestions expressed to the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities at its latest public hearing, which was held in Portland, Ore., in late February. NASW member Michael Petit, former president of Every Child Matters Education Fund; and social worker Marilyn Bruguier Zimmerman, director of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center, serve on the 12-member commission, which was created by the bipartisan Protect Our Kids Act in 2012. The commission is beginning its second y...

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Social workers are urged to advocate for reauthorization Each May, NASW recognizes Older Americans Month, which President John F. Kennedy established to highlight the contributions older generations make to society. This year’s theme, Get into the Act, also recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act. President John F. Kennedy established May as Older Americans Month — initially called Senior Citizens Month — to recognize and honor the contributions that older generations made to society. Kennedy met with members of the National Council of Senior Citizens in April of 1963, and it was a time when an in...

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NASW joins Give an Hour in nationwide mental health effort: Campaign to Change Direction. First lady of the United States Michelle Obama speaks at the launch event for the Campaign to Change Direction at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., on March 4. NASW CEO Angelo McClain was part of a panel discussion at the event. Give an Hour is leading the campaign, which aims to change perceptions about mental illness in the U.S. U.S. veteran Jennifer Madden (photo below) joined the military at the age of 17, and her first day of training was on Sept. 11, 2001. She served in Afghanistan as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom — driving thro...

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The NASW National Ethics Committee held its annual in-person meeting in February, where committee members discussed the implementation of a national professional review process. The process was put into place March 1. In order to integrate the review process at a national level — which was previously done at the chapter level — the committee discussed training and finalizing policies and procedures as they relate to the new format, said Dawn Hobdy, director of the NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review. “Prior to March, cases were submitted locally to the respective chapters. However, sometimes there can be difficu...

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